Flat dress form

ABSTRACT

A method of forming a female flat garment form using a pair of paper sheets, a tape with adhesive on one side and means for securing the paper to the tape on the opposite side, and a plurality of markers formed generally in the same manner as the tape. The markers are first placed on the predominant bulges of the female after which the tapes are secured along the sides and shoulders. The paper sheets, one for the front and one for the back, are attached to the markers on the front and back of the female. The sheets are then fitted to the female by darts, as necessary, after which they are attached to the shoulder and side tapes. Subsequently the paper sheets are trimmed along the lines of attachment to the shoulder and side tapes, either after removal of the sheets, or prior to removal.

United States Patent n51 3,694,921

Oblander 51 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] FLAT DRESS FORM Primary Examiner-LeonardForman Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. Dearing R [72] inventor uth OblanderLaGrange Park Ill Anomey parker, Caner & Markey [73] Assignee: Sew FitCo., La Grange Park, Ill. 22 Filed: Aug. 24, 1970 [571 ABSTRACT Appl.No.: 66,220

US. Cl. ..33/17 R, 33/15 A method of forming a female flat garment formusing a pair of paper sheets, a tape with adhesive on one side and meansfor securing the paper to the tape on the opposite side, and a pluralityof markers formed generally in the same manner as the tape. The markersare first placed on the predominant bulges of the female after which thetapes are secured along the sides and shoulders. The paper sheets, onefor the front and one for the back, are attached to the markers on thefront and back of the female. The sheets are then fitted to the femaleby darts, as necessary, after which they are attached to the shoulderand side tapes. Subsequently the paper sheets are trimmed along thelines of attachment to the shoulder and side tapes, either after removalof the sheets, or prior to removal.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures FLAT DRESS FORM SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to a method of making a female fiat garmentform.

Another purpose of the invention is a kit including paper sheets, a tapefor forming side and shoulder seams, and markers, all for use in fittingthe paper sheets to the female figure.

Another purpose is a kit of the type described which may be reliablyused by relatively inexperienced personnel.

Another purpose is a method of the type described which is relativelyeasy to perform and which reliably provides a female flat garment formshaped to a particular person.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings andclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrateddiagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the components of the kitdisclosed herein,

FIG. 2 is a side view of a female figure with the markers and tapesapplied thereto,

FIG. 3 is a front view of the female figure with the tapes and markersapplied thereto,

FIG. 4 is a front view of the female figure after the paper sheets forforming the flat dress from have been applied thereto,

FIG. 5 is a perspective of one side of the tape,

FIG. 6 is a perspective of the opposite side of the tape,

FIG. 7 is a top perspective of one side of a marker, and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the opposite side of the marker.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention relates toa method and kit for use in forming a flat dress form which is peculiarto a particular individual. The flat dress form may be placed underneathor used in connection with a commercial dress pattern to check theconformity of the commercial pattern to the particular individualsfigure. Wherever the individual s figure is different from that used informing the commercial dress pattern, the seamstress will be able tomake appropriate changes before cutting the fabric.

The kit for use in making up the flat dress form in cludes a pair ofpaper sheets which are of a consistency such that they can be attachedor hooked onto the tape. The sheets are indicated at 10 in FIG. 1 andshould be of a size and shape to cover the average female figure andshould be sufficiently pliable so that they may be effectively molded orfitted to the figure. A tape is indicated at 12 and is illustratedparticularly in FIGS. 5 and 6. The bottom of the tape 12 may have anadhesive strip 14 which is used to apply the tape either directly to theskin or to an undergarment such as a body stocking, slip or the like.The top side of the tape may include a plurality of projections 16,preferably formed of plastic and having a rounded or unsharpened outerend so as not to cause an injury to either the fitter or to the femalebeing fitted. The projections 16 are preferably uniformly spaced and aspacing of one inch has been found to be practical in most applications.The projections 16 may be attached to the tape in any suitable manner.There may be adhesive strips 18 and 20 and opposite sides of theprojections 16 so as to assist in attaching the paper sheets 10 to thetape for use in forming the side and shoulder means of the garment ordress form.

A box 22 indicated in FIG. 1 may contain a plurality of markers '24illustrated in FIGS. 7 and8. Each of the markers may have an adhesivelayer 26 on one side and a projection 28 on the opposite side.Preferably the projections 28 will be substantially identical with theprojections 16 which are attached to the tape.

FIGS. 2-4, illustrate the method of forming a flat dress form with thekit components described above. The female may either have a bodystocking, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, or a suitable undergarmentmay be used during the fitting process. The markers 24 are attached tothe female of the bulging areas such as the bust, seat, middle of upperback, thighs and stomach. Tapes 12 are attached along each shoulder andalong each side running from directly under the arm down to andincluding the hips. The adhesive layers on both the markers and thetapes are used to adhesively secure the same to the body without dangerto injuring either the body or the undergarment worn by the female beingfitted.

After the markers and tapes have been required, the paper sheets 10 areapplied to the front and back of the figure. In FIG. 4 the front sheet10 has a dotted line 30 which is known as the grain line and whichshould be at the center of the figure and generally vertical. The backsheet will have a similar grain line. The front and back sheets areapplied first to the markers, being suitably attached to the projections28. The sheets then are fitted to the figure by the use of folds ordarts, where required, with the sheets then being attached,individually, to the tapes along the sides and shoulders. The tapes arepassed over the projections and then hooked onto the projections so thateach of the front and back paper sheets are firmly attached to thetapes. The holes formed by the projections 16 mark the sheets so thatthey may be removed and trimmed along the shoulder and side seams.Generally the sheets should be trimmed outside of the seams. Once theflat form has been thus completed, it can be used in conjunction with acommercial dress pattern to show what changes, if any, should be made inthe pattern prior to cutting of the fabric. In this way, the fabric,once cut and sewn together, will properly fit the particular figure ofthe wearer.

Whereas the invention has been described in connection with a method inwhich the paper sheets are attached to projections on the tape it shouldbe realized that rather than projections the tape may consist ofadhesive on both sides, with the sheets being attached to the adhesiveand then a marker being used to indicate the side and shoulder seams. Inlike manner, the sheets may be trimmed while attached to the figurebeing fitted. There are many modifications to the invention, but what isimportant is to provide a means of molding or fitting paper sheets to aparticular female figure in such a way that after the sheets aretrimmed, they provide a flat dress form peculiar to that person.

Although the invention has been described generally in connection with adress, it should be understood that other female garments may be formedin like manner.

The invention should not be limited to markers or tape formed inprecisely the manner shown. What is important is to provide means forsecuring the markers and tapes to the female figure and also forsecuring the paper sheets to the previously applied markers and tapes.The paper sheets should be sufficiently pliable so as to be fitted tothe figure. They may have precut armholes or may be preformed in anyother way as to materially reduce fitting time.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and describedherein, it should be realized that there may be many modifications andsubstitutions thereto.

1 claim:

1. A method of making a female flat garment form using a pair of papersheets, a tape having adhesive on one side and means for securing thepaper thereto on the opposite side and a plurality of markers havingadhesive on one side and means for securing the paper thereto on theopposite side, including the steps of,

a. placing markers on the bulging areas of the female figure, such asthe bust, thighs, seat, etc.,

b. placing tapes along the shoulders, and sides of the female figure,

c. placing a sheet of paper on the front and back of the female andattaching the sheets to the markers,

d. adding darts, as necessary, to fit the paper sheets to the femalefigure,.

e. attaching the paper sheets to the shoulder and side tapes so as tofit the sheets to the figure, and

f. trimming the paper sheets along the shoulder and side tapes.

2. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that attachment of thepaper sheets to the shoulder and side tapes marks the paper sheets, withthe further step of removing the paper sheets prior to trimming.

1. A method of making a female flat garment form using a pair of paper sheets, a tape having adhesive on one side and means for securing the paper thereto on the opposite side and a plurality of markers having adhesive on one side and means for securing the paper thereto on the opposite side, including the steps of, a. placing markers on the bulging areas of the female figure, such as the bust, thighs, seat, etc., b. placing tapes along the shoulders, and sides of the female figure, c. placing a sheet of paper on the front and back of the female and attaching the sheets to the markers, d. adding darts, as necessary, to fit the paper sheets to the female figure, e. attaching the paper sheets to the shoulder and side tapes so as to fit the sheets to the figure, and f. trimming the paper sheets along the shoulder and side tapes.
 2. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that attachment of the paper sheets to the shoulder and side tapes marks the paper sheets, with the further step of removing the paper sheets prior to trimming. 